I. Field of the Invention
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/291,970, filed Nov. 11, 2002, having issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,602,285, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/819,349, filed Mar. 28, 2001, having issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,753,784.
The present invention provides a system that automatically processes weather data and delivers timely warnings of adverse weather conditions. More specifically, the present invention provides a system that automatically generates advanced warning of weather conditions likely to affect operations of a business such as a railroad, trucking company, construction company, or the like so that appropriate personnel can take steps necessary to mitigate the risks to life and equipment associated with adverse weather conditions.
II. Background of the Invention
Railroads, trucking companies, construction companies, recreational organizations and the like all have their operations impacted by the weather. For example, the rail systems of today are extremely safe. However, like all modes of transportation, rail operations can be adversely affected by weather conditions. Weather is the most common cause of derailment of railroad cars when such derailments occur. Derailment can result in injury or death to workers and passengers. Derailment can also cause substantial damage to railroad track, cars and cargo. A single derailment can cause losses that can exceed a million dollars.
The chances of derailment can be reduced substantially if trains can be diverted from areas affected by adverse weather conditions. Even when it is not possible to divert the train, the threat of damage and death can be reduced if rail traffic is halted before it encounters adverse weather conditions. Studies suggest that, even if the weather conditions cannot be avoided, a weather related accident involving a moving train can be ten times more costly than one involving a stationary train. The momentum of a moving train during a derailment increases the level of destruction to rail cars, track and life ten-fold.
Various weather events can affect rail operations. These fall into three main categories—high winds, flooding of the track, and temperature extremes that can expand or contract the rails of the track causing them to break, warp, or otherwise move out of proper alignment. Thus, an effective weather alert system must provide advanced warning of wind, flooding and temperature conditions that could pose a threat to moving trains.
The vast geographic territory over which railroads operate their trains and the localized nature of weather phenomena present unique challenges. The Union Pacific Railroad, for example, manages 38,654 miles of track in 23 states. It links all major West Coast and Gulf ports. It provides four major gateways to the east. It is the primary rail connection between the United States and Mexico. It also interchanges rail traffic with the rail system in Canada. The Union Pacific Railroad operates 6,847 locomotives. These locomotives must be run as efficiently as possible to hold freight costs down for customers and provide the Union Pacific with a reasonable return on the substantial investment it has made. Whenever it is safe to do so, the trains must be kept moving.
If one considers the vast landscape over which the Union Pacific operates, one soon realizes that only a very small portion of the rail system will be impacted by localized weather phenomena, such as wind gusts, tornadic activity or flash flooding. Operation over the remainder of the rail system can continue without undo risk. Even those areas of the system that are subjected to such adverse weather conditions may only be affected by such conditions for very short periods of time. This is certainly true for severe thunderstorms and tornados. They present a very real threat, but only in a localized area and only briefly.
Given the vast area covered by railroad tracks and the localized nature of weather conditions, a rail traffic control system could quickly be overwhelmed by localized weather reports covering each area of the system. Such information overload can be a curse as well as a blessing. If the information is not effectively sorted and prioritized, important information might not be acted on in a timely manner. Also, dispatchers inundated with alerts and warnings might become desensitized to the potential danger and not act in a appropriate manner to save life and property.
Businesses, other than railroads, can also be affected by adverse whether conditions. Many trucking companies deploy their fleet of trucks over a wide geographic area. Sometimes this area covers the entire nation. Severe weather conditions can hamper trucking operations in many of the same ways as rail operations and with the same risk to life and property. As trucks travel the highways and roads of this country, they can encounter wind conditions, precipitation including hail, sleet and severe thunderstorms, and temperature extremes that pose a significant threat. Even when roads are inundated with snow in certain areas of the country, they are clear in other areas of the country. Likewise, tornadic and wind gust activity can present a significant danger, but generally only in a very localized area and for a relatively short period of time. While truckers should avoid these areas during times of danger, it is safe to operate elsewhere and during times when no danger is present.
Weather presents similar challenges to construction companies. Personnel, equipment and materials can be safeguarded from hazardous weather conditions if sufficient advanced warning is provided. Construction companies can be involved in a single project at a single site. More often, however, they are involved in multiple projects at widely dispersed locations. Again, advanced warning of weather conditions likely to impact a specific construction site, as opposed to a general advisory, can be of significant advantage to a construction company.
The need for site specific notifications of impending adverse weather conditions is not limited to railroads, trucking companies or construction companies. In fact, such information can be of great value to many other businesses. Some of these include amusement parks, golf courses, ski resorts, marinas, race tracks, agricultural cooperatives and schools. In each instance, a system which provides site specific weather alerts could permit the protection of life and property without undue disruption of the enterprise when the weather conditions at the site impose no real threat.